Round the Moon

Preliminary Chapter

Recapitulating the First Part of This Work, and Serving as a Preface to
the Second

During the year 186-, the whole world was greatly
excited by a scientific experiment unprecedented in the annals of
science. The members of the Gun Club, a circle of artillerymen formed at
Baltimore after the American war, conceived the idea of putting
themselves in communication with the moon!—yes, with the moon—by sending
to her a projectile. Their president, Barbicane, the promoter of the
enterprise, having consulted the astronomers of the Cambridge Observatory
upon the subject, took all necessary means to ensure the success of this
extraordinary enterprise, which had been declared practicable by the
majority of competent judges. After setting on foot a public
subscription, which realized nearly L1,200,000, they began the gigantic
work.

According to the advice forwarded from the members of the Observatory,
the gun destined to launch the projectile had to be fixed in a country
situated between the 0 and 28th degrees of north or south latitude, in
order to aim at the moon when at the zenith; and its initiatory velocity
was fixed at twelve thousand yards to the second. Launched on the 1st of
December, at 10hrs. 46m. 40s. P.M., it ought to reach the moon four days
after its departure, that is on the 5th of December, at midnight
precisely, at the moment of her attaining her perigee, that is her
nearest distance from the earth, which is exactly 86,410 leagues
(French), or 238,833 miles mean distance (English).

The principal members of the Gun Club, President Barbicane, Major
Elphinstone, the secretary Joseph T. Maston, and other learned men, held
several meetings, at which the shape and composition of the projectile
were discussed, also the position and nature of the gun, and the quality
and quantity of powder to be used. It was decided: First, that the
projectile should be a shell made of aluminum with a diameter of 108
inches and a thickness of twelve inches to its walls; and should weigh
19,250 pounds. Second, that the gun should be a Columbiad cast in iron,
900 feet long, and run perpendicularly into the earth. Third, that the
charge should contain 400,000 pounds of gun-cotton, which, giving out six
billions of litres of gas in rear of the projectile, would easily carry
it toward the orb of night.

These questions determined President Barbicane, assisted by Murchison the
engineer, to choose a spot situated in Florida, in 27° 7′ North latitude,
and 77° 3′ West (Greenwich) longitude. It was on this spot, after
stupendous labor, that the Columbiad was cast with full success. Things
stood thus, when an incident took place which increased the interest
attached to this great enterprise a hundredfold.

A Frenchman, an enthusiastic Parisian, as witty as he was bold, asked to
be enclosed in the projectile, in order that he might reach the moon, and
reconnoiter this terrestrial satellite. The name of this intrepid
adventurer was Michel Ardan. He landed in America, was received with
enthusiasm, held meetings, saw himself carried in triumph, reconciled
President Barbicane to his mortal enemy, Captain Nicholl, and, as a token
of reconciliation, persuaded them both to start with him in the
projectile. The proposition being accepted, the shape of the projectile
was slightly altered. It was made of a cylindro-conical form. This
species of aerial car was lined with strong springs and partitions to
deaden the shock of departure. It was provided with food for a year,
water for some months, and gas for some days. A self-acting apparatus
supplied the three travelers with air to breathe. At the same time, on
one of the highest points of the Rocky Mountains, the Gun Club had a
gigantic telescope erected, in order that they might be able to follow
the course of the projectile through space. All was then ready.

On the 30th of November, at the hour fixed upon, from the midst of an
extraordinary crowd of spectators, the departure took place, and for the
first time, three human beings quitted the terrestrial globe, and
launched into inter-planetary space with almost a certainty of reaching
their destination. These bold travelers, Michel Ardan, President
Barbicane, and Captain Nicholl, ought to make the passage in ninety-seven
hours, thirteen minutes, and twenty seconds. Consequently, their arrival
on the lunar disc could not take place until the 5th of December at
twelve at night, at the exact moment when the moon should be full, and
not on the 4th, as some badly informed journalists had announced.

But an unforeseen circumstance, viz., the detonation produced by the
Columbiad, had the immediate effect of troubling the terrestrial
atmosphere, by accumulating a large quantity of vapor, a phenomenon which
excited universal indignation, for the moon was hidden from the eyes of
the watchers for several nights.

The worthy Joseph T. Maston, the staunchest friend of the three
travelers, started for the Rocky Mountains, accompanied by the Hon. J.
Belfast, director of the Cambridge Observatory, and reached the station
of Long’s Peak, where the telescope was erected which brought the moon
within an apparent distance of two leagues. The honorable secretary of
the Gun Club wished himself to observe the vehicle of his daring friends.

The accumulation of the clouds in the atmosphere prevented all
observation on the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th of December. Indeed
it was thought that all observations would have to be put off to the 3d
of January in the following year; for the moon entering its last quarter
on the 11th, would then only present an ever-decreasing portion of her
disc, insufficient to allow of their following the course of the
projectile.

At length, to the general satisfaction, a heavy storm cleared the
atmosphere on the night of the 11th and 12th of December, and the moon,
with half-illuminated disc, was plainly to be seen upon the black sky.

That very night a telegram was sent from the station of Long’s Peak by
Joseph T. Maston and Belfast to the gentlemen of the Cambridge
Observatory, announcing that on the 11th of December at 8h. 47m. P.M.,
the projectile launched by the Columbiad of Stones Hill had been detected
by Messrs. Belfast and Maston— that it had deviated from its course from
some unknown cause, and had not reached its destination; but that it had
passed near enough to be retained by the lunar attraction; that its
rectilinear movement had been changed to a circular one, and that
following an elliptical orbit round the star of night it had become its
satellite. The telegram added that the elements of this new star had not
yet been calculated; and indeed three observations made upon a star in
three different positions are necessary to determine these elements. Then
it showed that the distance separating the projectile from the lunar
surface “might” be reckoned at about 2,833 miles.

It ended with the double hypothesis: either the attraction of the moon
would draw it to herself, and the travelers thus attain their end; or
that the projectile, held in one immutable orbit, would gravitate around
the lunar disc to all eternity.

With such alternatives, what would be the fate of the travelers?
Certainly they had food for some time. But supposing they did succeed in
their rash enterprise, how would they return? Could they ever return?
Should they hear from them? These questions, debated by the most learned
pens of the day, strongly engrossed the public attention.

It is advisable here to make a remark which ought to be well considered
by hasty observers. When a purely speculative discovery is announced to
the public, it cannot be done with too much prudence. No one is obliged
to discover either a planet, a comet, or a satellite; and whoever makes a
mistake in such a case exposes himself justly to the derision of the
mass. Far better is it to wait; and that is what the impatient Joseph T.
Maston should have done before sending this telegram forth to the world,
which, according to his idea, told the whole result of the enterprise.
Indeed this telegram contained two sorts of errors, as was proved
eventually. First, errors of observation, concerning the distance of the
projectile from the surface of the moon, for on the 11th of December it
was impossible to see it; and what Joseph T. Maston had seen, or thought
he saw, could not have been the projectile of the Columbiad. Second,
errors of theory on the fate in store for the said projectile; for in
making it a satellite of the moon, it was putting it in direct
contradiction of all mechanical laws.

One single hypothesis of the observers of Long’s Peak could ever be
realized, that which foresaw the case of the travelers (if still alive)
uniting their efforts with the lunar attraction to attain the surface of
the disc.

Now these men, as clever as they were daring, had survived the terrible
shock consequent on their departure, and it is their journey in the
projectile car which is here related in its most dramatic as well as in
its most singular details. This recital will destroy many illusions and
surmises; but it will give a true idea of the singular changes in store
for such an enterprise; it will bring out the scientific instincts of
Barbicane, the industrious resources of Nicholl, and the audacious humor
of Michel Ardan. Besides this, it will prove that their worthy friend,
Joseph T. Maston, was wasting his time, while leaning over the gigantic
telescope he watched the course of the moon through the starry space.